Jonathan Grounds English footballer, defender Date of Birth: 02.02.1988 Country: Great Britain

1. Jonathan Grounds: A Journeyman Defender
2. Middlesbrough Beginnings
3. Loans and Return to Middlesbrough
4. Second Norwich Loan and Breakthrough
5. Loans to Hibernian, Chesterfield, and Yeovil
6. Oldham Athletic and Birmingham City

Jonathan Grounds: A Journeyman Defender

English footballer Jonathan Grounds is currently a defender for Birmingham City. Hailing from Thornaby-on-Tees, he began his footballing journey at Middlesbrough's youth academy.

Middlesbrough Beginnings

On January 12, 2008, Grounds made his Middlesbrough debut in a Premier League match against Liverpool. He signed a new two-year contract with the club in March, and by the end of the 2007/08 season, he had played in six matches.

Loans and Return to Middlesbrough

Grounds spent three months on loan at Norwich City from September 1, 2008, making his debut as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle. However, due to injuries, he was recalled by Middlesbrough on October 1 and played in a 5-0 victory against Wigan Athletic. He struggled in a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea on October 18, leading to a lengthy period on the bench.

Second Norwich Loan and Breakthrough

Grounds returned to Norwich City on loan on January 7, 2009. On January 30, he scored his first professional goal against Doncaster Rovers, securing a 1-1 draw. He scored two more goals in February but both resulted in Norwich defeats.

During the 2009/10 season, Middlesbrough dropped to the Championship and Grounds became a regular in the team, playing in 20 matches. He extended his contract with the club until 2012 on June 18, 2010.

Loans to Hibernian, Chesterfield, and Yeovil

Despite signing a new contract, Grounds was loaned to Hibernian for six months on August 31, 2010. He made 15 appearances for the Scottish club, scoring one goal in the Scottish League Cup.

In January 2011, Grounds returned to Middlesbrough, where he struggled defensively. He scored his only goal for the club in a 3-4 loss to Swansea City on February 12. He went out on loan again to Chesterfield on August 25 and later to Yeovil Town in February 2012, where he provided an assist in his debut match.

Oldham Athletic and Birmingham City

Following the 2011/12 season, Grounds was released by Middlesbrough. On July 2, 2012, he signed a two-year contract with Oldham Athletic. He made his debut in the League Cup against Sheffield Wednesday and scored his first goal for the club in a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town on November 24.

After his contract with Oldham expired, Grounds joined Birmingham City on a two-year deal starting June 2, 2014. He remains a key defender for the Championship club.